Arsene Wenger says he will have to make a “lucid and objective” decision on his Arsenal future at the end of the season.

It was another clear hint the Arsenal manager is ready to leave this summer after 20 years in charge, although he admitted his preference is to stay at the Emirates.

Wenger, 67, made the remarks when quizzed if he would be interested in taking over from Luis Enrique at Barcelona this summer as his current £8m-a-year contract expires this summer.

“I have been here for 20 years and I had many times the opportunity to leave so I don’t think I have to convince you that my preference has always been Arsenal,” said Wenger.

“But of course I am objective and lucid enough to make the right decision for myself and the club as well. The club is free to make the decision it wants and I will respect that.

Arsene Wenger will make a call on his future at the end of this season (Image: Arsenal via Getty)

“My preference has always been the same and will remain the same. Of course I am not looking for jobs in other clubs or jobs off other people, I am focused on me, getting to the next level and trying to improve and always trying to see what you can do better and reinvent yourself and that’s what I try to do. That’s basically it.”

Enrique has already publicly stated that he will stand down this summer and Wenger has been under pressure to clarify his own position to dispel lingering doubts and also try to galvanise fans to help Arsenal’s run-in.

Wenger denied that a manager announcing he is leaving would mean the players take their eyes off the ball.

Wenger added: “No, not really. I believe that the players have their targets, the team targets and I don’t think that can be detrimental. It can be positive as well.”

Wenger also refused to deny that, as reported by Mirror Sport, that he had turned down a £30m-a-year offer from China.

When asked if he had turned down an offer, Wenger said: “No, this press conference is about the game at Liverpool, not my future and what I turned down or not down.”

Wenger said Aaron Ramsey, Laurent Koscielny and Olivier Giroud are back in the squad to face Liverpool on Saturday but admitted he is unsure if Mesut Ozil will be fit after being sent home from training on Wednesday with a heavy cold.